A Few Quick Facts

A Few Quick Facts: Inflation (1944)

** (out of 4)

Decent entry in the Private Snafu series talks about how money might seem small in America but once you get overseas it becomes much more. This film clocks in under two minutes and warns soldiers that going on a spending rampage could end up hurting in the long run when inflation sets in and prices skyrocket. Not only does this film try to protect the soldiers but it also talks about people who have to pay the higher prices, which could lead to other problems. This entry in the series is a lot shorter than previous ones and there's really not much here. The animation and vocal work by Mel Blanc are both very good but there's not too much entertaining in the one-message talk.

Many of the Private Snafu cartoons are very enjoyable, being very well-made, entertaining and educational with good morals and interesting historical and instructional material. Even lesser ones like 'It's Murder She Says' and 'Operation Snafu', prior to watching this, are still very much watchable. Even when inept, Snafu is still very much endearing and fun for a vast majority of his cartoons.

After great Private Snafu cartoons like 'Spies', 'The Goldbrick', 'Infantry Blues', 'Booby Traps' and 'Private Snafu vs. Malaria Mike', it was sad to see 'A Few Quick Facts: Inflation' say and do very little with an important subject and not even do a good job entertaining or teaching.

There are a few good things, but only a few. The animation is great, with fluid character designs, detailed and not sparse backgrounds and lively colours/shadings. Mel Blanc's voice work is as lively as ever, then again Blanc was one of the greatest voice actors who ever lived who was rarely bad and it took a lot for him to be so. The music score is also suitably peppy.

Snafu himself has been much funnier before and he has also been much more endearing, here he is just "there" which for Snafu is bland. 'A Few Quick Facts: Inflation' is thin in content and none of it is funny or even particularly interesting, with an important subject treated indifferently and stupidly. It also has little to say that one doesn't know already and feels heavy-handed and tame.

All in all, a rare misfire in the Private Snafu series. 3/10 Bethany Cox

During WWII, the US government financed a series of Private Snafu cartoons. Using a wonderful sense of humor, they were able to convey important messages to the troops--and the films were not shown to the general public. You can tell this in a few of the films, as the humor is a bit more adult than you could have gotten away with in theaters. Today, you can find these shorts on DVD as well as for free downloads at archive.org.

When I watched "A Few Quick Facts: Inflation", I was shocked. While it was a Snafu cartoon, it wasn't the least bit funny or interesting!! In fact, though they show Snafu, he really doesn't say or do anything. Instead it's a dull little film about how soldiers freely spending their money abroad can result in massive inflation and shortages for the locals. I guess this is an important message to the troops, but it was done in a very dull manner. I assume soldiers seeing it probably zoned out--and they, too, wondered why Snafu was amazingly unfunny in this installment.